1. Field
This disclosure relates to a tension-free elastic tape for the surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence, the textile structure of which enables the ingrowth of the connective tissue.
2. Background
Female urinary incontinence is often produced by weakness in the connective tissue. Therefore, to treat it, a surgical procedure is inter alia used in which a tension-free elastic tape is inserted which supports the urethra, strengthens the connective tissue and serves as a matrix for the ingrowth of regenerated connective tissue. This surgical procedure is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,909 in which a generic tape suitable for this surgical procedure is also claimed.
This known tape has a relatively high rigidity which can make the insertion of the tape more difficult. The tape is cut as a strip from a textile surface material. This results in free monofil ends on the longitudinal edges of the tape. When the tape is inserted, these free ends facilitate a primary anchoring of the tape in the tissue. However, the cutting of the textile surface material during production of the tapes leads to the mesh unraveling on the wall edges, so that particles can break off on the edge during insertion and also post-operatively. Both the projecting monofil ends and the separated, in particular, sharp-edged monofil particles can cause lasting inflammations. In addition, the unraveling of the edge stitches reduces the strength of the tape which must be compensated by an increased use of material.